Paranoid Schizophrenic Case Paper

Phoenix is a 28 year old woman who is currently a full-time student and unemployed. She is in a domestic partnership and she has a son, which is not legally her partner’s. She stays at home most days and waits for her son to come home from school and her partner to come home from her job. Phoenix constantly ponders thoughts of her partner’s fidelity to their partnership.

Valerie believes that the last four years of her marriage are what brought about her development of paranoid schizophrenia. During her last four years of marriage Valerie experienced a great deal of stress and strain to keep her marriage together. Because Valerie did not believe in divorce she turned to her religion and became deeply involved in her church. Her first delusion began during this period when she believed bad people were infiltrating her church and trying to destroy the

Background Information Tyler is a 15 year old male who is currently living at home with his mother and younger sister. His mother describes Tyler as “always being an odd child” who had significant difficulty relating to his peers. As a child he would spend a great deal of time alone involved in role playing. She said that social situations always provoke great anxiety in Tyler and he is extremely socially inept. Currently Tyler rarely socializes, and when he is not in school he spends most of his time on his computer. Tyler spends several hours a day on the Internet playing on-line games and interacting with others in chat rooms. Tyler reports having one close real-life friend but it is not

By taking the time and educating ourselves, we are eliminating possible misconceptions about the illness. Working with people that have a mental disorder is the best way to understand how and why they act the way they do. While the cause of schizophrenia is still unknown, it is believed that both genetics and environmental factors play a role. Schizophrenia consists of five subtypes; paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, and residual. Symptoms can range from hallucinations to delusions, and disorganized thinking. Since there is no cure for schizophrenia, treatment is aimed at controlling the positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. By starting with a single antipsychotic medication and evaluating the efficacy in four to six weeks, they are able to determine if that medication will work or if they need to try a different one. Once they find out what works, they must adhere to it. Through improved public awareness society can break the pervasive stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illnesses that stand in the way of finding cures and help people with schizophrenia lead full lives they

Drug therapy is the most common treatment, using antipsychotic drugs. Antipsychotic drugs aims to help patient function as well as possible and increasing patient’s feelings of well being.

It is imperative to seek treatment for children or adolescents who present with the onset of serious mental illness. Early-onset of illness is a high prediction of poor outcomes for the patient. Severe mental illness diagnoses include schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. The schizophrenia spectrum includes schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder and xxxx. The diagnoses fall into xxx categories; xxx, xxxx and xxx. Early onset of schizophrenia (EOS) before the age of 13, is very rare at 0.04 % of population in the United States. EOS is before the age of 18, 0.5% of U.S. population. Children and adolescents make up xxx of the psychiatric patient in the United States. The DSM-5

There are so many different kinds of medications used to treat patients, but the most common ones that psychiatric assistants prescribe exist as antipsychotic and antidepressants. Antidepressants usually relate to a substance that treats mood disorders. Antipsychotic medications usually are taken daily in pills or liquid form. However, some may get injected, which means their only given once or twice a month. The biggest mental disorder that antipsychotic are prescribed for has occurred in patients with schizophrenia. “Schizophrenia is a psychosis characterized by delusions, hallucinations, apathy, and a “split” between thought and emotion.” (Coon & Mitterer 487) “Patients with this disorder tend to have withdrawal from contact with other, a loss of interest in external activities, a breakdown of personal habits, and an inability to deal with daily events.” (486) “Also, it is hard for patients with schizophrenia to focus on one item of information at a time.” (486) Four major types of schizophrenia consist of catatonic, disorganized, paranoid, and undifferentiated. The first type, catatonic, involves disturbances in a person’s movement. Patients with this disorder type tend to just sit there and they do not talk or move. They show no emotion. “The second type, disorganized, or known as “hebephrenic schizophrenia”, patients experience bizarre thinking and flat or grossly inappropriate emotions.” (487) “Typically, this type of schizophrenia develops in adolescence or young adulthood.” (487) “The third type, paranoid, is marked by a preoccupation with delusions or by frequent auditory hallucinations related to a single theme, especially grandeur or persecution.” (488) “Patients think that God, the government, or “cosmic rays from space” are controlling their minds or trying to poison them.” (488) “According to the largest study ever

Therapy for psychosis often works best when combined with medication, although this is not always

Schizophrenia is a life-long disorder that affects about one percent of the population (Mueser & McGurk, 2004). The cause of this mental illness is still unclear. Studies have suggested that Schizophrenia does not arise from one factor but from a combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors (Liddle, 1987). People diagnosed with Schizophrenia struggle to deal with a multitude of symptoms that make it difficult to function (Mueser & McGurk, 2004). Antipsychotic medications are a popular treatment of the symptoms of Schizophrenia (Mueser & McGurk, 2004). Research is constantly being done to develop these medications to enhance the quality of life of those diagnosed with Schizophrenia.

Treatment of schizophrenia may vary according to what clinicians believe to be its causes. For example, some believe (and this is backed by evidence) that the condition is caused by over activity of the dopamine system, so that the person experiences too much stimulation. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, so that in effect too much activity is occurring in the brain. Clinicians who believe this is the case are likely to use drug therapies to correct this over activity, and will use antipsychotic drugs.

Other medications are also used to assist with treating other symptoms of the disorder or side effects of the prescribed medication. Medications may be given to help alleviate or reduce anxiety, aggression, agitation, and other positive or negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Medications will not cure the disorder, but will assist the person with functioning better on a day to day basis. Once the symptoms begin to reduce or subside, the individual may become more open to other treatment options as well as increase the effectiveness of the other treatments (Preston, O'Neal & Talaga, 2010).

Personality Disorders Donna danced into the party and immediately became the center of attention. With sweeping gestures of her arms and dramatic displays of emotion, she boasted about her career as an actress in a local theater group. During a private conversation, a friend inquired about the rumors that she was having some difficulties in her marriage. In an outburst of anger, she denied any problems and claimed that her marriage was “as wonderful and charming as ever.” Shortly thereafter, while drinking her second martini, she fainted and had to be taken home.

Schizophrenics often have problems with daily living skills, relationships, communication skills and motivation. For these reasons it is almost imperative that Jason gets appropriate type of psychosocial assistance. The major needs of patients suffering from schizophrenia, include medication, leisure activities, case management and individual psychotherapy. Social skills training involves systematically teaching patients specific behaviors that are critical for success in social interactions. Sessions with mental health worker are very important for Jason’s social growth. Between medications and proper counseling, Jason will be able to live near normal live.

CBT for schizophrenia also stresses skill-oriented treatments. Patients learn skills to cope with life's challenges. The therapist teaches social, daily functioning, and problem-solving skills. This can help patients with schizophrenia minimalize the types of stress that can lead to outbursts and

The two diagnosis I considered after my first session with Caleb were Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophreniform Disorder. Caleb clearly displayed deficits in both social communication and social interaction during our session. Caleb was so socially withdrawn, that his mother, Nina, was the person I communicated with throughout the entirety of our session. Caleb occasionally mumbled responses to some of the questions; his answers ranged from “yes”, “no” to “I don’t know”, although he mumbled thank you to one of my compliments, Caleb definitely displayed deficits in social-emotional reciprocity. Caleb also exhibited deficits in nonverbal communication, avoiding eye contact throughout our entire session, he even avoided eye contact with his